The nine teams of 2017-18 BUCS Super Rugby 26/09/2017

After starting out with the best eight men’s rugby union teams in higher education in its first season, BUCS Super Rugby is back for its second competitive season with a ninth team: Nottingham Trent University RFC. To mark its return we look back on their key statistics from last year’s competition.

#1 – Hartpury

Hartpury University Centre RFC won the double last year – the BUCS Super Rugby league, scoring a total of 400 points across 12 wins and just two losses, and the BUCS Championship final at Twickenham Stadium. Hartpury sealed the biggest win of the season in round four – beating Northumbria at home by 67-6 whilst also bagging the title for most number of tries in one match with a total of 11.

#2 – Exeter

Exeter University RFC won nine games in a row last year – the most consecutive wins in 2016-17 BUCS Super Rugby. It wasn’t just their results that were consistent, though, as player Edward Landray was awarded man of the match nine times throughout across the season. Exeter finished second in the table last year and were BUCS Rugby Union Championship runners-up – narrowly losing 27-24 to Hartpury at Twickenham Stadium.

#3 – Loughborough

Finishing third in the table with 52 points, just one point behind second-placed Exeter, Loughborough University RFC has made several additions to their 2017-18 BUCS Super Rugby squad as they hope to push for silverware this time around. Loughborough will be pleased to keep Callum Watson, who claimed the crown for the most individual points scored in one BUCS Super Rugby match when he put 33 points on the board against Northumbria in round nine. Loughborough also had the highest conversion rate last year with 68.42%.

#4 – Durham

Durham University RFC made a strong start to BUCS Super Rugby life with a total of 37 tries across the 2016-17 season, leading the team to a respectable fourth-place finish. Durham’s top four finish featured one of the strongest away forms in the league as they won five of their seven away fixtures.

#5 – Bath

Two of last year’s top try scorers in the BUCS Super Rugby league came from University of Bath RFC as they finished fifth. This twinned with a strong conversion rate of 66.67% should set Bath up to be putting points on the board this season. With an audience of over 5,000 for their headline home match at The Rec in 2016-17 and the highest average number of views for live streamed matches, Bath has a strong support network that will no doubt continue.

#6 – Northumbria

Northumbria University RFC finished well last season with several convincing wins and some close losses towards the end of their 2016-17 campaign. With 19 try scorers in their midst last year, the team will be setting their sights on a higher finish that last year’s sixth spot as they step into season two of BUCS Super Rugby.

#7 – Cardiff Metropolitan

Representing Wales at the highest level of university rugby, Cardiff Metropolitan University RFC has the second highest percentage conversion rate at 67.57%. The contributions of Welsh U20s player Alex Dombrandt were vitally important to Cardiff Met’s success last year as he was the second highest try scorer in the league.

#8 – Leeds Beckett

Leeds Beckett University RFC return to BUCS Super Rugby 2017-18 determined to make their presence known after finishing rock bottom last year. Their close 21-19 loss to double winners Hartpury in the BUCS Rugby Union Championship quarter-final showed what they were capable of and they’ll be hoping to continue that form into their first fixtures of the new season

#9 – Nottingham Trent

The new boys on the block have shown they are ready for highest level of competition in university rugby union. Across two BUCS Super Rugby play-off matches against Bristol, Trent scored a total of 122 points to gain promotion – achieving an aggregate win of 122-12.

See the BUCS Super Rugby live stream schedule to watch fixtures across the season, and follow #BUCSSuperRugby on Twitter for all the latest news, stats and live fixture reporting.